There have been 122 women in the Australian Senate since the establishment of the Parliament of Australia. Women have had the right to stand for federal parliament since 1902, and there were three female candidates for the Senate at the 1903 federal election (Vida Goldstein, Nellie Martel, and Mary Moore-Bentley). However, it was not until Dorothy Tangney's victory at the 1943 federal election that a woman was elected. Since then, all states and territories have had multiple female senators – in chronological order: Western Australia (1943), Queensland (1947), Victoria (1950), South Australia (1955), Tasmania (1975), the Australian Capital Territory (1975), New South Wales (1987), and the Northern Territory (1998).
The passage of the Commonwealth Franchise Act allowed women to both vote and stand for election to the Parliament of Australia. [1] [2] Three women stood unsuccessfully as independents or as representatives of minor parties for election to the Senate for the 1903 election. Nellie Martel and Mary Ann Moore-Bentley of New South Wales ran, each earning around 18,000 votes, with the leading man winning roughly 190,000 votes. [3] Vida Goldstein, from Victoria, ran and gained 51,497 votes, which was roughly half the votes the winning man gained. [3] She then ran unsuccessfully again in 1910 and 1917 after a short stint attempting to breakthrough into the House of Representatives. [3] In 1919, Mary McMahon of NSW ran unsuccessfully, and was not followed by another woman candidate until 1934 saw Lillie Beirne (NSW) and Joanna Helbach (QLD) run. [3] Following this, Jeanne Young of Western Australia ran in 1937 and Adela Walsh (NSW) and Dorothy Tangney (WA) ran in 1940. [3] However, women were not successful in entering federal politics until World War II. The major parties did not endorse any female candidates for the Senate before the War.
The first woman to be elected to the Senate was Labor representative Dorothy Tangney in 1943; she represented Western Australia. [3] Following Tangney's entry into politics, the Senate has continuously had women members. However, despite the success, the number of women running continued to fluctuate drastically. Prior to 1981, the proportion of women running as candidates peaked at 20% in 1977 but had a low of only 1.3% in 1953. [4] Between the years 1943 and 1969, there were only five elections of women and Enid Lyons accounted for three of these in the House of Representatives. [5] Despite this, 41 women were elected into the Senate between 1943 and 1980. [4] The proportion of women in the Senate can be seen over a long time period to have drastically grown, with the 1948 Senate being composed of 5.6% women, 14.1% in 1980, 23.7% in 1990, 28.9% in 2002, and 53% in 2021. [6]
The second woman elected to the Senate, Annabelle Rankin, also achieved a number of firsts for women: she was the first female Whip, and she was the first woman with a federal portfolio when she became Minister for Housing in 1966. In 1975, Margaret Guilfoyle became the first female cabinet minister with a portfolio. In 1996 Margaret Reid was the first woman elected as President of the Senate.
Women in the Senate have made significant changes to Australian law which have benefited women. For example, a private member's bill written by Senator Susan Ryan was crucial to the development of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986, the Public Service Reform Act 1984 and the Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987.
With the appointment of Sarah Henderson to the Senate on 11 September 2019, the number of women in the chamber was equal to the number of men for the first time in history. [7] With the resignation of Richard Di Natale and the appointment of Lidia Thorpe on 4 September 2020, the number of women (39) exceeded the number of men (37) for the first time.
Names in bold type indicate Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries. Names in italics indicate appointments made under section 15 of the Constitution, or through disqualification. Names marked with an asterisk (*) also served in the House of Representatives. Where no closing date is shown, the Senator's term of service is unexpired.
# | Name | Party | State | Period of service | How ended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | (Dame) Dorothy Tangney | Labor | WA | 21 August 1943 – 30 June 1968 | defeated |
2 | (Dame) Annabelle Rankin | Liberal | Qld | 1 July 1947 – 24 April 1971 | resigned |
3 | Agnes Robertson | Liberal / Country | WA | 22 February 1950 – 30 June 1962 | retired |
(Dame) Ivy Wedgwood | Liberal | Vic | 22 February 1950 – 30 June 1971 | retired | |
5 | (Dame) Nancy Buttfield | Liberal | SA | 11 October 1955 – 30 June 1965 1 July 1968 – 11 April 1974 | defeated retired |
6 | Marie Breen | Liberal | Vic | 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1968 | retired |
7 | (Dame) Margaret Guilfoyle | Liberal | Vic | 1 July 1971 – 5 June 1987 | retired |
8 | Ruth Coleman | Labor | WA | 18 May 1974 – 5 June 1987 | retired |
Jean Melzer | Labor | Vic | 18 May 1974 – 30 June 1981 | defeated | |
Kathy Sullivan* | Liberal | Qld | 18 May 1974 – 5 November 1984 | resigned | |
11 | Susan Ryan | Labor | ACT | 13 December 1975 – 29 January 1988 | resigned |
Shirley Walters | Liberal | Tas | 13 December 1975 – 30 June 1993 | retired | |
13 | Janine Haines | Democrats | SA | 14 December 1977 – 30 June 1978 1 July 1981 – 1 March 1990 | retired resigned |
14 | Jean Hearn | Labor | Tas | 15 October 1980 – 30 June 1985 | retired |
15 | Florence Bjelke-Petersen | NCP / National | Qld | 12 March 1981 – 30 June 1993 | retired |
16 | Margaret Reid | Liberal | ACT | 5 May 1981 – 14 February 2003 | resigned |
17 | Patricia Giles | Labor | WA | 1 July 1981 – 30 June 1993 | retired |
18 | Rosemary Crowley | Labor | SA | 5 March 1983 – 30 June 2002 | retired |
Margaret Reynolds | Labor | Qld | 5 March 1983 – 30 June 1999 | retired | |
Olive Zakharov | Labor | Vic | 5 March 1983 – 6 March 1995 | died | |
21 | Sue Knowles | Liberal | WA | 1 December 1984 – 30 June 2005 | retired |
Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | SA | 1 December 1984 – 26 April 2007 | resigned | |
23 | Jo Vallentine | NDP / Ind. / Greens WA | WA | 1 July 1985 – 31 January 1992 | resigned |
24 | Jocelyn Newman | Liberal | Tas | 13 March 1986 – 1 February 2002 | resigned |
25 | Janet Powell | Democrats / Ind. | Vic | 26 August 1986 – 30 June 1993 | defeated |
26 | Sue West | Labor | NSW | 11 February 1987 – 5 June 1987 1 July 1990 – 30 June 2002 | defeated retired |
27 | Bronwyn Bishop* | Liberal | NSW | 11 July 1987 – 24 February 1994 | resigned |
Jean Jenkins | Democrats | WA | 11 July 1987 – 30 June 1990 | defeated | |
Kay Patterson | Liberal | Vic | 11 July 1987 – 30 June 2008 | retired | |
30 | Irina Dunn | NDP / Ind. | NSW | 21 July 1988 – 30 June 1990 | defeated |
31 | Meg Lees | Democrats / APA | SA | 4 April 1990 – 30 June 2005 | defeated |
32 | Vicki Bourne | Democrats | NSW | 1 July 1990 – 30 June 2002 | defeated |
Cheryl Kernot* | Democrats | Qld | 1 July 1990 – 15 October 1997 | resigned | |
34 | Karin Sowada | Democrats | NSW | 29 August 1991 – 30 June 1993 | defeated |
35 | Christabel Chamarette | Greens WA | WA | 12 March 1992 – 30 June 1996 | defeated |
36 | Dee Margetts | Greens WA | WA | 1 July 1993 – 30 June 1999 | defeated |
Judith Troeth | Liberal | Vic | 1 July 1993 – 30 June 2011 | retired | |
38 | Kay Denman | Labor | Tas | 24 August 1993 – 30 June 2005 | retired |
39 | Belinda Neal * | Labor | NSW | 8 March 1994 – 3 September 1998 | resigned |
40 | Jacinta Collins | Labor | Vic | 3 May 1995 – 30 June 2005 8 May 2008 – 15 February 2019 | defeated resigned |
41 | Natasha Stott Despoja | Democrats | SA | 29 November 1995 – 30 June 2008 | retired |
42 | Kate Lundy | Labor | ACT | 2 March 1996 – 24 March 2015 | resigned |
43 | Sue Mackay | Labor | Tas | 8 March 1996 – 27 June 2005 | resigned |
44 | Lyn Allison | Democrats | Vic | 1 July 1996 – 30 June 2008 | defeated |
Helen Coonan | Liberal | NSW | 1 July 1996 – 22 August 2011 | resigned | |
Jeannie Ferris | Liberal | SA | 1 July 1996 – 2 April 2007 | died | |
Brenda Gibbs | Labor | Qld | 1 July 1996 – 30 June 2002 | defeated | |
48 | Marise Payne | Liberal | NSW | 9 April 1997 – 30 September 2023 | resigned |
49 | Karen Synon | Liberal | Vic | 13 May 1997 – 30 June 1999 | defeated |
50 | Trish Crossin | Labor | NT | 16 June 1998 – 6 September 2013 | retired |
51 | Jan McLucas | Labor | Qld | 1 July 1999 – 9 May 2016 | retired |
52 | Linda Kirk | Labor | SA | 1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 | retired |
Claire Moore | Labor | Qld | 1 July 2002 – 30 June 2019 | retired | |
Kerry Nettle | Greens | NSW | 1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 | defeated | |
Ursula Stephens | Labor | NSW | 1 July 2002 – 30 June 2014 | defeated | |
Ruth Webber | Labor | WA | 1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 | defeated | |
Penny Wong | Labor | SA | 1 July 2002 – | ||
58 | Concetta Fierravanti-Wells | Liberal | NSW | 5 May 2005 – 30 June 2022 | retired |
59 | Judith Adams | Liberal | WA | 1 July 2005 – 31 March 2012 | died |
Annette Hurley | Labor | SA | 1 July 2005 – 30 June 2011 | retired | |
Anne McEwen | Labor | SA | 1 July 2005 – 2 July 2016 | defeated | |
Christine Milne | Greens | Tas | 1 July 2005 – 10 August 2015 | resigned | |
Fiona Nash | National | NSW | 1 July 2005 – 27 October 2017 | election voided | |
Helen Polley | Labor | Tas. | 1 July 2005 – | ||
Rachel Siewert | Greens | WA | 1 July 2005 – 6 September 2021 | resigned | |
Dana Wortley | Labor | SA | 1 July 2005 – 30 June 2011 | defeated | |
67 | Carol Brown | Labor | Tas. | 25 August 2005 – | |
68 | Sue Boyce | Liberal | Qld | 19 April 2007 – 30 June 2014 | retired |
69 | Mary Jo Fisher | Liberal | SA | 6 June 2007 – 14 August 2012 | resigned |
70 | Catryna Bilyk | Labor | Tas. | 1 July 2008 – | |
Michaelia Cash | Liberal | WA | 1 July 2008 – | ||
Sarah Hanson-Young | Greens | SA | 1 July 2008 – | ||
Helen Kroger | Liberal | Vic. | 1 July 2008 – 30 June 2014 | defeated | |
Louise Pratt | Labor | WA | 1 July 2008 – 30 June 2014 2 July 2016 – | defeated incumbent | |
75 | Bridget McKenzie | National | Vic. | 1 July 2011 – | |
Lee Rhiannon | Greens | NSW | 1 July 2011 – 15 August 2018 | resigned | |
Lisa Singh | Labor | Tas. | 1 July 2011 – 30 June 2019 | defeated | |
Anne Urquhart | Labor | Tas. | 1 July 2011 – | ||
Larissa Waters | Greens | Qld | 1 July 2011 – 18 July 2017 6 September 2018 – | resigned incumbent | |
Penny Wright | Greens | SA | 1 July 2011 – 9 September 2015 | resigned | |
81 | Lin Thorp | Labor | Tas | 20 June 2012 – 30 June 2014 | defeated |
82 | Anne Ruston | Liberal | SA | 5 September 2012 – | |
83 | Sue Lines | Labor | WA | 15 May 2013 – | |
84 | Nova Peris | Labor | NT | 7 September 2013 – 9 May 2016 | retired |
85 | Deborah O'Neill * | Labor | NSW | 13 November 2013 – | |
86 | Jacqui Lambie | PUP / Ind. / JLN | Tas | 1 July 2014 – 14 November 2017 1 July 2019 – | resigned incumbent |
Linda Reynolds | Liberal | WA | 1 July 2014 – | ||
Janet Rice | Greens | Vic | 1 July 2014 – 19 April 2024 | resigned | |
89 | Katy Gallagher | Labor | ACT | 26 March 2015 – 9 May 2018 18 May 2019 – | resigned incumbent |
90 | Jenny McAllister | Labor | NSW | 6 May 2015 – | |
91 | Joanna Lindgren | Liberal (LNP) | Qld | 21 May 2015 – 2 July 2016 | defeated |
92 | Pauline Hanson* | One Nation | Qld | 2 July 2016 – | |
Jane Hume | Liberal | Vic. | 2 July 2016 – | ||
Skye Kakoschke-Moore | NXT | SA | 2 July 2016 – 22 November 2017 | resigned | |
Malarndirri McCarthy | Labor | NT | 2 July 2016 – | ||
96 | Kimberley Kitching | Labor | Vic | 25 October 2016 – 10 March 2022 | died |
97 | Lucy Gichuhi | Family First / Ind. / Liberal | SA | 19 April 2017 – 30 June 2019 | defeated |
98 | Kristina Keneally | Labor | NSW | 14 February 2018 – 13 April 2022 | resigned |
99 | Amanda Stoker | Liberal (LNP) | Qld | 21 March 2018 – 30 June 2022 | defeated |
100 | Mehreen Faruqi | Greens | NSW | 15 August 2018 – | |
101 | Wendy Askew | Liberal | Tas | 6 March 2019 – | |
102 | Sam McMahon | National (CLP) | NT | 18 May 2019 – 21 May 2022 | defeated |
103 | Claire Chandler | Liberal | Tas | 1 July 2019 – | |
Perin Davey | National | NSW | 1 July 2019 – | ||
Nita Green | Labor | Qld | 1 July 2019 – | ||
Hollie Hughes | Liberal | NSW | 1 July 2019 – | ||
Susan McDonald | National (LNP) | Qld | 1 July 2019 – | ||
Marielle Smith | Labor | SA | 1 July 2019 – | ||
Jess Walsh | Labor | Vic | 1 July 2019 – | ||
110 | Sarah Henderson * | Liberal | Vic | 11 September 2019 – | |
111 | Lidia Thorpe | Greens / Ind. | Vic | 4 September 2020 – | |
112 | Dorinda Cox | Greens | WA | 14 September 2021 – | |
113 | Karen Grogan | Labor | SA | 21 September 2021 – | |
114 | Jana Stewart | Labor | Vic | 6 April 2022 – | |
115 | Jacinta Nampijinpa Price | National (CLP) | NT | 21 May 2022 – | |
116 | Penny Allman-Payne | Greens | Qld | 1 July 2022 – | |
Kerrynne Liddle | Liberal | SA | 1 July 2022 – | ||
Fatima Payman | Labor | WA | 1 July 2022 – | ||
Barbara Pocock | Greens | SA | 1 July 2022 – | ||
Tammy Tyrrell | Lambie / Ind. | Tas | 1 July 2022 – | ||
Linda White | Labor | Vic | 1 July 2022 – 29 February 2024 | died | |
122 | Maria Kovacic | Liberal | NSW | 31 May 2023 – | |
123 | Steph Hodgins-May | Greens | VIC | 1 May 2024 – |
Numbers and proportions are as they were directly after the beginning of Senate terms and do not take into account deaths, resignations, appointments, defections or other changes in membership. As senators typically serve six-year terms, in the absence of a double dissolution, the numbers of female senators overlap two "terms". State-based Coalition parties that caucus with one of the major parties (Liberal National Party, Country Liberal Party) have been included in the Liberals' or Nationals' totals.
Term | Labor | Liberal | National | Democrats | Greens | Others | Total | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | |
1944–1947 | 1 | 22 | 4.5% | 0 | 12 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 36 | 2.8% |
1947–1950 | 1 | 33 | 3.0% | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 36 | 5.6% |
1950–1951 | 1 | 34 | 2.9% | 3 | 21 | 14.3% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | 60 | 6.7% |
1951–1953 | 1 | 28 | 3.6% | 3 | 26 | 11.5% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | 60 | 6.7% |
1953–1956 | 1 | 29 | 3.4% | 3 | 26 | 11.5% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | 60 | 6.7% |
1956–1959 | 1 | 28 | 3.6% | 3 | 24 | 12.5% | 1 | 6 | 16.7% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 5 | 60 | 8.3% |
1959–1962 | 1 | 26 | 3.8% | 3 | 25 | 12.0% | 1 | 7 | 14.3% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 5 | 60 | 8.3% |
1962–1965 | 1 | 28 | 3.6% | 4 | 24 | 16.7% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 5 | 60 | 8.3% |
1965–1968 | 1 | 27 | 3.7% | 3 | 23 | 13.0% | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 4 | 60 | 6.7% |
1968–1971 | 0 | 27 | 0.0% | 3 | 21 | 14.2% | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 3 | 60 | 5.0% |
1971–1974 | 0 | 26 | 0.0% | 2 | 21 | 9.5% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 2 | 60 | 3.3% |
1974–1975 | 2 | 29 | 6.9% | 2 | 23 | 8.7% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 4 | 60 | 6.7% |
1975–1978 | 3 | 27 | 11.1% | 3 | 27 | 11.1% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 6 | 64 | 9.4% |
1978–1981 | 3 | 27 | 11.1% | 3 | 28 | 10.7% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 6 | 64 | 9.4% |
1981–1983 | 4 | 27 | 14.8% | 4 | 28 | 14.3% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 10 | 64 | 15.6% |
1983–1984 | 7 | 30 | 23.3% | 4 | 24 | 16.7% | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 13 | 64 | 20.3% |
1984–1987 | 6 | 34 | 17.6% | 5 | 28 | 17.9% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 1 | 7 | 14.3% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 14 | 76 | 18.4% |
1987–1990 | 5 | 32 | 15.6% | 7 | 24 | 29.2% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 3 | 7 | 42.9% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 17 | 76 | 22.4% |
1990–1993 | 5 | 32 | 15.6% | 7 | 29 | 24.1% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 4 | 8 | 50.0% | 1 | 1 | 100.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 18 | 76 | 23.7% |
1993–1996 | 4 | 30 | 13.3% | 7 | 30 | 23.3% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 3 | 7 | 42.9% | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 16 | 76 | 21.1% |
1996–1999 | 9 | 29 | 31.0% | 8 | 32 | 25.0% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 5 | 7 | 71.4% | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 23 | 76 | 30.3% |
1999–2002 | 9 | 29 | 31.0% | 9 | 32 | 28.1% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 4 | 9 | 44.4% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 22 | 76 | 28.9% |
2002–2005 | 10 | 28 | 35.7% | 8 | 31 | 25.8% | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 4 | 8 | 50.0% | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 23 | 76 | 30.3% |
2005–2008 | 12 | 28 | 42.9% | 8 | 33 | 24.2% | 1 | 6 | 16.7% | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 26 | 76 | 34.2% |
2008–2011 | 14 | 32 | 43.8% | 9 | 32 | 28.1% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 3 | 5 | 60.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 27 | 76 | 35.5% |
2011–2014 | 14 | 31 | 45.2% | 8 | 28 | 28.6% | 2 | 6 | 33.3% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 6 | 9 | 66.7% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 30 | 76 | 39.5% |
2014–2016 | 14 | 25 | 56.0% | 5 | 27 | 18.5% | 2 | 6 | 33.3% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 7 | 10 | 70.0% | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 29 | 76 | 38.2% |
2016–2019 | 14 | 26 | 53.8% | 6 | 24 | 25.0% | 2 | 6 | 33.3% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 5 | 9 | 55.6% | 3 | 11 | 27.3% | 30 | 76 | 39.5% |
2019–2022 | 16 | 26 | 61.5% | 10 | 30 | 33.3% | 4 | 5 | 80.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 5 | 9 | 55.6% | 2 | 6 | 33.3% | 37 | 76 | 48.7% |
2022– | 16 | 26 | 61.5% | 10 | 26 | 38.5% | 4 | 6 | 66.7% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 8 | 12 | 66.7% | 3 | 6 | 50.0% | 41 | 76 | 53.9% |
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